PR, not Propaganda

I've been thinking about the Web 2.0 Expo NY Web2Open. My topic is PR, not Propaganda, on November 19. Although the format will be unconference, I wanted to get you thinking about the differences - and please do stop by to meet me and the team who will be leading those conversations presented by the PodCamp Foundation.

PR, not Propaganda

What does it mean, what are the differences? Let's start with a working definition from Wikipedia:

Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.

We're talking about genuine two-way communication, not just dissemination; information, not indoctrination; attention-getting, not agitprop; proof, not the truth (truth is a conclusion the other person gets to make). And so on.

PR *does* bear some elements of propaganda, however. Manipulation, for example. Be honest: PR people are looking for a given outcome. That's why you were hired. So you have to look at the other elements of propaganda and avoid them - coercion, selective presentation of the facts, insistence on only ONE conclusion, broadcasting, or outright falsehood. There are probably more.

What a terrific topic! I'd say the role of PR doesn't necessarily involve manipulation anymore, but has transformed to be a participatory initiative that "guides" the conversation. Though I admit the propaganda focused attitude is still hard to shake some companies from who lean on an extremist view of their brand and message. People don't respond to that anymore.

Your questions are dead on for what people should be asking themselves, and your presentation looks incredible with all the contrasting propaganda posters. Good luck at the conference!

The catch is that the relationships that separate PR from propaganda are between customers and decision-makers; the communicators are just an intermediary.

If there isn't a system in place where the communicators bring valid customer questions to the decision-makers and get either an explanation or an authentic "we're going to look closer at that and move things around", then all the communicators can do is propagandize. There's no PR, because there's no relationship.

And yes, that does mean that many communicators have been doomed to propaganda by the organizations they work for.